President Macron Has 5 Options After French Government Collapse: What Are They? Explained

Last Updated:September 09, 2025, 14:06 IST

Whoever Macron picks to succeed him will face the near impossible task of uniting parliament and finding ways to get a budget for next year adopted

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking his fifth prime minister in less than two years. (AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking his fifth prime minister in less than two years after opposition parties united to kick out centre-right Prime Minister Francois Bayrou over his unpopular plans for budget tightening.

Bayrou, handed a 364-194 defeat in a parliamentary confidence vote on Monday, will officially hand in his resignation to Macron during Tuesday.

Whoever Macron picks to succeed him will face the near impossible task of uniting parliament and finding ways to get a budget for next year adopted.

What Macron could do next?

A Reuters report listed Macron’s options:

Option 1: Pick a premier from his own ranks

The president could appoint another premier from his own ranks. Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s name was among those mentioned as speculation mounted before Monday’s confidence vote. Such a pick would risk appearing tone-deaf and accentuating public discontent.

Option 2: Turn to a Socialist

Some political commentators have said they expect Macron to turn to a Socialist to lead a minority government. But, rather than seeking a stable coalition, the centre-left is pushing for a “non-aggression pact" and the chance to implement its own agenda. The Socialists are advocating policies to tax the rich and reverse an unpopular increase of the retirement age. Such measures run counter to Macron’s pro-business precepts and undermine past reforms intended to attract foreign investors. “I don’t believe in the left-wing government scenario," lawmaker Eric Coquerel, whose hard-left party’s alliance with the Socialists hangs by a thread, told Reuters. “Changing his economic policy, even slightly, is out of the question for Macron."

Option 3: Call for snap polls

Macron could call another snap election, but opinion polls show Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally would strengthen its standing as the biggest single political force in the National Assembly. Macron’s party would lose even more seats. Le Pen, who is banned from running for office and would lose her seat in a new parliament, has said she is ready to “sacrifice" herself and is urging Macron to trigger an “ultra-fast dissolution." The prospect of sharing power with his eurosceptic, nationalist arch-rivals would be a humiliating blow for Macron, making a mockery of his pledge to counter reactionary forces. Sources close to the president say he is reluctant to call another snap election. “But you can’t rule out anything with him, he is really unpredictable," cautioned a lawmaker in his party who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Option 4: Constitutional overhaul

Some politicians are calling for a constitutional overhaul and the creation of a Sixth Republic. But it is unclear how reverting to a more parliamentary system – tried and tested during the chronically-unstable Third and Fourth Republics – would improve France’s governability. With no constitutional mechanism to force a presidential resignation, Macron is likely to face mounting pressure both inside and outside parliament.

Option 5: Referendum

In a country prone to popular uprisings – such as the year-long Yellow Vest crisis of 2018/19 when Macron faced protests over further fuel tax increases – and still reeling from the cost-of-living crunch, discontent is simmering. In his most recent New Year’s Eve address, Macron floated the idea of referendums. Cornered, he may be tempted to reach for another political wildcard. In 1969, post-war leader Charles de Gaulle tried the same tactic to regain control after the May 1968 student protests that grew into a nationwide movement. He lost – and resigned the next day.

How did the markets react?

Market reaction was relatively muted in early trading on Tuesday, with Bayrou’s ousting already largely priced in. The next test will be Fitch’s decision on France’s sovereign rating on Friday.

The country is also gearing up for “Let’s Block Everything" anti-government protests on Wednesday, which have mushroomed on social media. The lack of centralized leadership among protesters means it is hard to assess how big or disruptive these will be. “Now that the change of the prime minister is a done deal, they need to get rid of what’s higher up … that’s a message for Macron," 61-year-old protester Alain Petit said at a so-called “farewell drink" for Bayrou organised in Clermont-Ferrand, in central France, late on Monday.

Other such “farewell drinks" for Bayrou were organised in front of city halls across the country, with people there saying they were gearing up for Wednesday’s protests. Labour unions have announced a day of strikes and protests on September 18.

With Reuters Inputs

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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